Inclosed-switch construction



Apr. 24, T923.

C. D. PLATT I NCLOSED SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Filed'June 27, 1922 PatentedApr. 24, 1923.

PATENT OFFICE.

cnannncn I). run, or n'mnenroar, connncrrcuzr.

IKOLOSE'D-SWITCH CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed June 27,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cmnnxcn D. PLATI, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Bridgeport, Connecticut have invented a new anduseful Inclosed-witch Construction, of which the following is aspecification. I y 1 My'invention relates to a construction intended tobe used with an inclosed switch to facilitate'the installation andreplacement of fuse plugs without opening the switch box.

The main object is to provide a construction which may be economicallyproduced, is and which may be readily attached to or detached from theswitchbox. Another object is to so construct the attachment that it isdurable and not easily broken.

In carrying out the invention I provide an auxiliary fuse receptaclesuitably formed of .insulating material and provided with shoulders andmetallic plates adapted to interlock with the edges of an opening in theside of the switch box or similar receptacle. The fuse receptacle ispreferably provided with a hinged cover and catch. The hinges and catchare secured to the body of the fuse receptacle preferably by the samescrews which hold the dates in place thus reinforcing the receptac e aswell as simplifying the construction.of the device. Fig. l is aperspective view of an inclosed switch with fuse plug attachmentembodying the impro ements of my invention.

ig. 2 is a perspective'view on a. larger scale showing the rearof thefuse plug receptacle and a fragment of the switch box detached.

Fig. 3 is a'sectional view on the plane of the line 3-3 on Fig. 1looking upwardly.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the fuse plu receptacle detached fromthe box and wit the cover open. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views ofthe plates or flanges.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation with the cover closed.

The switch box T may be of any suitable construction usuallyhaving acover 8 hin ed at one end or one side. The circuit wires leading intoand out of the box are usuall protected in conduits such as 9 and 10.Sue a construction also fre uently has a meter 11 attached or connecteto the box in some 1922. Serial mi. 1571,2139.

way. When it is desired to prevent access to the switch or the terminalsof the circuit within the box it is usual to providesome suitable formof lock or seal to hold the cover closed. Such construction alsofrequently has interlockin mechanism to 'revent operation of the switchhandle 12 w en the cover is 'openand to revent o ning of the cover whenthe switc is closed As these details are not part of my presentinventionl refer to them simply as indicating the type of constructionto which my invention is particularly adapted 'without illustrating thesame in detail. i

In order to make it possible to replace the protective devices such asfuses without opening the cover of the box a special receptacle isnovided consisting of an insulating bo y portion 13 and a cover 14. Thebody contains sockets such as 15 and 15 ada ted to receive ordinary fuseplugs at the rent or exposed side. These sockets are connected tobinding ts or terminals such as 16, 17, 18 and 19 in the rear of thebody adapted to be connected to the proper terminals of the switchwithin the box and without exposing the wires.

The rear of the body is provided with an extension 20 shaped to enterthe slot 21 in one all of the box. Around this extension is a shoulderor surface 22 adapted to abut the outer surface of the box around theopening 21. The plate flan es 23, 24 and 25 are secured to the rear of te body by means of screws 26. 27, and 28 respectively which pass throughthe body andare screwed into the plates. The plates are preferablyseated on shoulders on the base and are, spaced apart from the surface22 far enough to form grooves adapted to receive the edges of the boxaround the opening 21. Preferably the ti of the flange 25 is flaredoutward somew at so as to facilitate connection with the box. The springfingers or flanges 23 and 2d may be conveniently formed as integralparts of the plate 29 the outer ed of which is adapted to fit justinside an upper ed of the box. ends of t e fingers 23 and 24 insertionof the attachment into the slot 21 of the box is facilitated, and thesefingers hold the attachment snugly in position in the box withoutapplying undue pressure.

The cover is preferably held in place by alongthe By off-setting thehinges 30 and 31 and a sprin catch 32. The hinges are secured to the hoy by the screws 26 and 27 and to the cover b the screws 33 and 34. Bylocating these es at opposite corners'the cover is securely held inregister with the base part without strain ing the material of the bodyor the cover. The plate 29 which serves as an anchora e for the screws26 and 27 also reinforces e rear of the body at theplace where thegreatest strain 18 applied. The catch 32 may conveniently be old inplace bycthe same screw 28 that anchors the plate 25 to the q The ngers23 and 24, and the plate 25 form a three point connection between thebody and the box so as to hold the fuse re ceptacle snugly .in placewithout straining the porcelain even should the wall of the box becomebent or a I When the switch box cover flange 37 rests along theshoulder-'38 of the body 13 and thus holds the body securely in place.To removethe fuse device it is.

merely necessary to open the cover of the switch box. Y

Fi 7 more clearly shows the relation of the p ates 25 and 29 to theshoulders on the base. The extension 20 of the base has a recess forminga shoulder 35 on which the plate 25 is seated and a shoulder 36 on whichplate 29 is supported. These shoulders are.

spaced apart from the surface 22 so that,

when the plates are in position, there is an open space between theplates and the surface 22 to form ooves for receiving the walls of thebox a jacent to the'opening 21.

The base is entirely free .of overhan g or undercut projections whichwould be gillicult to mold and easily broken in shipment or in use.

Plates 25 and 29 re-inforce the insulating base and form a verypractical means for attaching a-device of this kind to a switch box.They serve as a means for securing the hinges and catch 32 to the basethus simplifying the construction and they take the place of screws andnuts which would otherwise be required.

I claim:

1. In a fuse receptacle, an insulating body, appurtenantjuse terminalsmounted on the body, a cover hinged to the body and having a shoulder, aprojecting flange on the body for engagement with the edge of an o ningin a switch-box, a catch on said y for engagement with said shoulder onthe cover, and means for connecting said catch and said flange andsecuring them on opposite surfaces of the said body. 7

2. In a fuse receptacle, an insulating bod having an extension at therear adapte to reject into an opening in the wall of a switch box, and aplurality t(:fg'ielding flange members secured to said y at the rear isand the bod thereof and projecting laterally therefrom and adapted toco-act with the edges of the wall of a switch box around said openingfor securingsaid receptacle to said box.

3. In a fuse receptacle for an inclosed switch comprising an insulatingbody, an

anchorage plate secured alon one edge of the body and having springngers for engagement with a switch box.

4. In a construction of thecharacter described a body, a. cover, flangesprojecting.

from the rear of said body hinges between the cover and the body, and

screws'connecting said hinges to said flanges.

. 5.111 a device of'the character described an insulating body, a platemounted along one edge at'the rear thereof and providin a projectinganother flange moan at the opposite e I L of the rear of said body andscrews connecting said flanges to said 6. In a'detachable fusereceptacle for an .inclosed switch, an insulating base, appurtenantfuseterminals carriedby said base,

an extension on said base to conform to an opening in one side wall of-aswitch box and a plate detachably secured upon the said extension havinga flange pro ecting beyond the lateral edge of said extension, the saidflange co-actin with one surface of the said base and the slde wall ofthe said extension to'form a groove for attaching the said receptacle toa switch box.

7. In a detachable fuse receptacle for an inclosed switch, an insulatinbase, appurtenant fuse terminals carrie by said base, a projectingshoulder integral with said base and a laterally projecting metallicplate on said base adjacent said shoulder, the said shoulder and thesaid plate co-acting to form a groove for attachingihe said receptacleto a switch box.

8. In a fuse receptacle for an 'inclcsed switch, an insulating basehaving an extension adapted to enter the opening in the wall of a switchbox, an abuttin shoulder.

on said base and adjacent to saidexte'nsionand a plate detachahlysecured to said base substantially parallel with said shoulder andspacedapart therefrom to form a groove for attachment of the said base tu-aswitch box.

9. ,In an inclosed switch, a stvitch box having an openifig inone ofits' walls, a cover forsaid box,- a fuse receptacle havingan insulatingbase, appurtenant fuse terminals carriedby said base, a shoulder on saidbase to conform to an opening in the wall of the switch box and a searately formed plate secured to said base jacent said shop der, the saidplate andsaid shoulder co-acting to form a groove for receiving the uall of the box adjacent to the said OPBnlZlg and the box cover beingadapted to rest along one side of said base when the cover is closed.

10. In an inclosed switch, a switch box having a U shaped opening in oneof its ceptacle, the side walls of said extension side walls, a coverfor the box, an insulating and the said plate co-acting to form a fusereceptacle having appurtenant fuse tergroove for attaching thereceptacle to the minals. an extension on said receptacle to switch box,the cover being adapted to rest 5 conform to the opening in' the box anda, along one side of the receptacle when the metal plate secured uponthe extension on cover is closed.

the receptacle, the lowensurface of the re- CLARENCE D. PLATT.

